Wiring device having spring securing means for mounting it on a perforated panel



July 31, 1956 FOR MOUNTING J. J. WIRING DEVICE HA OPALENIK ETAL VING SPRING SECURING MEANS Fig.l. 50 3s 40 6 |4'''' lam IO 20 2O 4, 9 6 4 Fig.2.

l "a I .9 I 28 34 l WITNESSES:

III!

INVENTORS John J. Opoleriik ATTORNEY United States Patent WIRING DEVICE HAVING SPRING SECURING MEANS FOR MOUNTING IT ON A PERFO- RATED PANEL Application September 30, 1954, Serial No. 459,349 9 Claims. cl. sals -12's) Our invention relates to a wiring device and more par ticularly to a snap-on means for mounting a wiring device in place.

Some wiring devices, such as lampholders, are mounted on large panels by placing the lampholder in position from one side of the panel and fastening it with some type of fastening means from the other side of the panel. Such a method requires the labor of two men, one on each side of the panel, to mount the lampholders. As can readily be appreciated, in large signs where a large number of iampholders are used, such a method is expensive in view of the labor cost. Some prior attempts to provide a snap-in arrangement for mounting lampholders have not been entirely satisfactory in that they have not provided suflicient resiliency to firmly hold the lampholder in place. Still other prior snap-in devices have required the openings in the panel and the lamp holder to be aligned and the snap-in device manually manipulated before the lampholders can be secured to the panel. Such a method of installation also represents a substantial labor cost. In view of these disadvantages, we have devised a means for mounting a lampholder to a panel of any size from any other side of a panel by merely pushing the lampholder into position.

Accordingly, one object of our invention is to provide a new and improved means for mounting a lampholder on a panel.

A further object of our invention is to provide a means for mounting a lampholder or a panel comprising a plurality of spring clips which are deformed substantially simultaneously to engage the panel, by merely pushing the lampholder into position.

7 Another object of our invention is to provide a means for mounting a lampholder which does not require the use or any loose hardware for mounting purposes.

Another object of our invention is to provide a lampholder having a pair of spaced spring clips for mounting it on a panel, which clips are held to the lampholder at all times by integral spring means. 7

A further object of our invention is to provide a lampholder having a pair of spring clip means for mount ing it to various thicknesses of panels by pushing the lampholderinto position. I

These and other objects will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

Figure l is a substantially central cross sct'ional view of a Wiring device constructed in accordance with the principles of our invention and which illustrates in section part of a panel to which the device may be secured; and

"Fig. 2 is a partial top plan view' of the wiring device shown in Fig. l. p

The lampholder wiring device shown in the drawi'ngs comprises a substantially cylindrical body 2 which may be formed from any suitable insulating material, such as a ceramic or plastic insulating material, having a central cavity 4 at one end in is located a circular screw 2,757,353 Patented July 31, 1956 type socket 6 for receiving any one of a variety of standard circular screw base lamps (not shown). Socket 6 may be formed from any suitable electrical conducting material, such as copper or brass, and is located within the cavity 4 of body 2. Socket '6 is provided at its inner end with a pair of integral oppositely disposed extending L-ahapcd legs 8, of which the inner end 91's bent inwardly toward the center of housing 4 and abuts against the integral base 10 of the cavity 4. The base 10 of housing 2 is provided with suitable openings 12 adjacent each lower portion 9 of legs 8 in order that portions 9 of socket 6 may be secured to the base 10 by any suitable means extending through the openings 12 to engage the outer surface of base 10. As shown, a machine screw and nut assembly 14 is utilized for such purpose and may also be utilized for making electrical connections to the socket 6 by clamping an electrical conductor 16 to the machine screw by means of another nut. In order to provide electrical protection, base 10 is spaced inwardly from the back end 21 of body 2.

A central contact 18, which may be formed from any suitable electrical conducting material, such as copper, is located in cavity 4 in a proximately the center of base 10 for engaging the central contact of an inserted screw base lamp. Contact 18 is secured to base 10, as is another electrical conductor 16, by means of an opening 12 and machine screw and nut assembly 14, similar to those previously described. Contact 18 may be of any suitable form for such contact purposes, and as shown, comprises an approximately U-shaped spring having spaced arm s, one of which engages the base 10 and the other of which is adapted to engage the center contact of a screw base lamp. It should be noted that base 10 is also provided with a number of transversely projecton opposite sides, between adjacent heads and 'adJaCGIIt nuts of the machine screw and nut assemblies 14 to provide additional electrical insulation therebe tween.

approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of body 2. Arms 22 terminate at substantially the open end of cavity 4 in order that the lampholders may be secured to a panel 52. As shown, arms 22 are opposed from each other; however, it is to be realized that the exact number and location radially outwardly ternal Surface of housing 2 so as to form a ledge 60 on each side of opening 24 which is longitudinally displaced from the front of the lampholder. Further, it will be noted that the opening 24 extending through each arm 22 forms a longitudinally extending surface 25 below the notch 26 which is substantially in alignment with the external surface of housing 2.

The spring clips constructed in accordance with the principles of our invention may be made from any suit able spring material, such as a material, and comprise a one piece generally U-shaped spring portion 30 having integral transversely located spring portions 32 which extend outwardly from each side of its bight portion 34. One-arm 36 of spring portion 30 is adapted to be inserted within the opening 24 of the arm 22 while the other arm 38 is adapted to be inserted Within notch 26. As shown, arm 38 is slightly narrower than the width of its cooperating notch 26 and extends longitudinally at approximately right angles to the bight portion 34. Arm 38 is reduced in width and bent radially inward at its free end to form a projection 40 which is approximately parallel to the bight portion 34 and which is slightly less than the width of the central notch 38 so as to be insertable therein. Arm 36 of spring portion 30 is longer than arm 38 and is sloped from the bight portion 34 towards the projection 40.

Arm 36'is also bent at its free end toward arm 38 to form a detent portion 42 and thereafter is reversibly bent in a smooth curvature away from arm 38 toward the center of housing 2 so as to form a camming portion 43. Camrning portion 43 in turn may be provided with a projection 44 which extends outwardly from the front of and toward the center of body 2. Spring portions 32 are bent from the bight portion 34 of spring 30 towards the arms 36 and 38 and are flattened at their outer ends to engage the ledges 60 of arms 22.

In installing such spring clips, the leg 36 is initially inserted from the back side of body 2 into the opening 24 with the camming portion 43 engaging the longitudinally extending surface 25. The spring clip is then shoved forward until arm arm 22, at which time the arm 38 is forced outwardly over the back of arm 22 so that projection 40 may be located within notch 26. If desired, the back of arm 22 between the surface 25 of opening 24 and the notch 26 may be provided with the back of arm 22 in order that the outward forcing of the projection 40 may readily be accomplished. Thereafter, the spring clip is forced toward the front of body 2 while stressing arms 32 until detent 42 emerges from opening 24 and rests substantially flush against the front face of arm 22 between the notch 26 and the surface 25 of opening 24. It will be noted that when detent 42 has cleared opening 24, projection 40 has also cleared the bottom of notch 28, and due to the spring bias of the U-shaped spring portion 30,'cngages notch 28. At the 1 same time, arm 38 enters notch 26 whereby it is retained against lateral movement over the arm 22. Further, the spring clip is held on each arm 22 by the spring action of the U-shaped portion 30 which holds the projection 40 engaging the outer surface of arm 22 at notch 28, and the opposite sloping arm 36'of spring portion 30 engaging the corner of opening 24 at the face of arm 22. Thus, once the spring clips constructed in accordance with our invention have been so installed upon the lampholder, the lampholder may be handled without causing the spring clips to become dislocated thereon.

It will also be noted that spring portions 32 are also stressed in engagement with the ledges 60 of an arm 22 at the time that spring portion 30 is properly located on body 2. In order to mount such lampholders on a supporting plate, such as a representative plate 52 which may be formed from any suitable material such as sheet steel, the plate 52 is provided with a central opening 54 behind which the cavity 4 of the lampholder is adapted to be located, and a pair of opposed rectangular openings 58 adjacent the opening 54 for receiving the arms 36 of spring portion 30. If desired, the front of body 2 may be provided with an outwardly extending circular projection 56 about the cavity 4 which is adapted to'be inserted within the opening 54 of plate 52, in order to properly locate the lampholder with respect to plate 52. In securing the lampholder to plate 52, flanges 44 of opposed spring portions 30 are aligned with and partially inserted through the openings 58 in plate 52. Thereafter, the entire lampholder assembly is shoved forward against plate52 causing the camming portions 43 to engage the an'undercut 50 sloping towards 38 engages the back of the I holder assembly is so forced against the plate edges of openings 58 which force, in turn, forces the dctents 42 toward the center of body 2. Such forward force is applied to the lampholder assembly until the camming portions 43 ride over the outer edges of openings 58. After the back portion of camming portion 43 has cleared the front edges of openings 58, the spring action of arm 36 of spring portion 30 causes the detent 42 to move frontward over the front surface of plate 52, whereby that portion of plate 52 is held between the back surface of detent 42 and the front of arms 22. It will be noted that the engagement of the back side of detents 42 against the front surface of arms 22 prevents the spring portions 30 from being displaced rearwardly when the lamp- In so forcing the detent 42 into openings 58, it will be noted that spring portions 32 are further compressed against the projection 60, and when this force is released, the spring portions 32 will exert a longitudinal spring force on arm 36 so that the-back surface of detent 42 is yieldably held against the plate 52 to hold the plate 52 against the face of the arms 22. If desired in order to facilitate such engagement, the bight portion 34 of the spring member may be manually forced forward. It,

-; of course, will be realized that the magnitude of the various spring forces herein discussed will vary with relation to the spring materials utilized and the physical size of the spring, the arms of the spring, and the body member. However, it is believed obvious that such dimensions can be determined to achieve an arrangement whereby the spring clips may easily be inserted both upon the lampholder and into the panel 52. Further, with such a method, it is obvious that it is a simple matter to install both the spring clips onto the lampholder and, in turn, to install a large number of lampholders onto a panel. Also, as arms 32 may be spaced at various distances away from projection 60, the detent 42 may be located at various distances in front of the lampholder whereby various thicknesses of plate 52 within a given range can be held therebetween.

, terial having a mounting surface,

Although we have shown and described one particular modification of our invention in accordance with the patent statutes, we are aware that modifications thereof are possible without departing from the broad spirit and scope of our invention. Accordingly, it is desired that our invention be not restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. A wiring device comprising, a base of insulating mamounting spring means on said base including a leaf spring member having a detent portion at said mounting surface with the spring extending inwardly away from said mounting surface, another spring member in engagement with said base and a portion of said leaf spring member spaced inwardly from said mounting surface to bias the latter inwardly relative to said base, said detent portion being engageable with said mounting surface to limit the inward movement of said leaf spring member, cam means on said leaf spring member at the outer end thereof for moving said detent portion laterally over said mounting surface, and said other spring member being yieldable relative to said device so that said leaf spring member may be moved longitudinally outwardly of said device.

2. A wiring device comprising a body member having a front surface, a plurality of spring members for mounting said wiring device to a panel eachcomprising a pair of joined first resilient members each having an extending end in engagement with a portion of said body spaced inwardly from said front surface and a second resilient member supported'at one end by said first resilient members so as to be movable in a direction laterally with respect to said front surface, said second resilient member having its other end formed to extend laterally over said front surface of said body; and projecting cam means integral with said other end of-said second resilient means for moving said other end ina plane approximately parallel to said front surface of said body when said cam means is forced into engagement with an edge of an opening insaid panel.

3. A wiring device comprising a body member having a front surface, a plurality of spring members for mounting said wiring device to a panel each including a rear. portion having oppositely extending resilient parts the ends of which engage said body on a second surface spaced inwardly from said front surface and approximately parallel thereto, said rear portion having a resilient intermediate portion spaced from said second surface between the ends thereof, each of said spring members also including a second resilient portion supported at one end by said intermediate portion of said rear portion and extending forwardly with its other end extending laterally over said front surface, and projecting cam means integral with said other end of said second resilient portion for moving said other end thereof in a plane approximately parallel to said front surface of said body when said cam means is forced into engagement with an edge of an opening in said panel.

4. A wiring device comprising a body member having a center axis, said body member having at least two spaced outwardly extending arms which extend along said body member, each of said arms and said body having a front surface approximately perpendicular to said axis and in substantial alignment with each other, each of said arms having a back surface spaced from said front surface and approximately parallel thereto, each of said arms having an opening extending therethrough approximately perpendicular to said front and back surfaces, and a plurality of spring members for mounting said wiring device to a panel each comprising, a pair of first resilient members each having extending ends engageable with said back surface on each side of said opening, said first resilient members having a center portion spaced from said back surface between said extending ends, a second resilient member supported at one end by said center portion of said first resilient member extending through said opening, said second resilient member having its other end initially formed to extend over the front surface of said arms in a plane approximately perpendicular to said axis and thereafter formed to extend angularly away from said axis and outwardly from said front surface whereby said device may be mounted to a panel by means of forcing said formed portions of said second resilient members into engagement with openings in said panel.

5. A wiring device comprising a formed body member having a center axis and a front surface approximately perpendicular to said axis, an opening in said body spaced from and extending in the same direction as said axis, at least one spring member for mounting said wiring device to a panel having an approximately U-shaped spring portion, having one of its arms extending through said opening in said body with a portion of its free end extending laterally over said front surface, said free end of said first spring arm having a projection extending outwardly at an angle thereto, the other arm of said spring portion being located to engage the outer surface on said body, and said spring portion being under stress so that said arms engage the outer surface of said body and the surface of said opening adjacent to said outer surface respectively, to bias said spring portion on said body.

6. A wiring device comprising a main body having a center axis and a front surface approximately perpendicular to said axis, 'an opening in said body spaced from and extending in the same direction as said axis, at least one spring member mounted on said body for mounting said wiring device to a panel having an approximately U-shaped spring portion, one arm of said U-shaped spring portion being angularly disposed so as to extend toward the other arm, said one arm extending through said opening on said body with a portion of its free end extending laterally over said front surface, said free end of said one'arm having a cam portion extending outwardly at an acute angle thereto, said other arm being located in a notch extending along the outer surface of said body in the same direction as said axis and having a projection at its free end extending approximately parallel to the big'ht portion of said spring portion, an integral ledge formed within said notch to engage said projection to limit movement of said spring in one axial direction.

7. A wiring device comprising a body member having a front surface, a plurality of formed spring members for mounting said wiring device to a panel each including a rear bow-shaped spring and an integral transversely extending leaf spring which is supported by substantially the center portion of said bow spring, each of said leaf springs extending forwardly along said body member and having their free ends extending laterally over said front surface, projecting cam means integral with each of said free end of said leaf springs, respectively, for moving said free end thereof in a plane approximately parallel to said front surface when said wiring device is forced against the edge of an opening in said panel, and said bow-shaped springs each having each of its free ends stressed into engagement with a surface on said body member spaced inwardly of said front surface so that the central portion thereof is spaced from said last-mentioned surface and said free ends of said leaf springs are biased toward said front surface of said body member when said device is located in said opening.

8. A wiring device comprising a body member having an axis with a front surface substantially perpendicular thereto, a plurality of formed spring members for mounting said wiring device to a panel each including a bowshaped spring having a pair of spaced arms extending transversely thereto between the free ends of said bow spring, a plurality of openings in said wiring device extending approximately parallel to said axis each of which is cooperable with one of said spring members, one arm of said pair of spaced arms being located within one of said openings so as to extend therethrough and having its free end extending laterally over said front surface, projecting cam means integral with the free end of each of said one arms respectively for moving said free ends thereof in a plane approximately parallel to said front surface when said wiring device is forced into an opening in said panel, the other arm of said pair of spaced arms being located to engage the outer surface of said body member so that said pair of arms frictionally engage said body member and are supported thereby, and each of said bow-shaped springs having each of its free ends stressed into engagement with another surface on said body member spaced inwardly of said front surface so that the central portion thereof is spaced from said last-mentioned surface and said free end of said leaf spring is biased toward said front surface of said body member when so located in said opening in said panel.

9. A wiring device comprising, a base of insulating material having a mounting surface adapted to be mounted on a support, a leaf spring mounting member extending laterally of said mounting surface and mounted on said base for limited longitudinal movement and longitudinal flexing movement, resilient means reacting between said leaf spring and said base in a direction to bias said leaf spring away from said mounting surface, said leaf spring having at its end adjacent said mounting surface a detent portion and an outer cam portion so that said cam portion can be positioned in an opening in said support and upon engagement with an edge of said opening will cause longitudinal flexing of said leaf spring, and said leaf spring can be forced toward said support when said base is seated thereon by relatively longitudinally moving said leaf spring toward said support while stressing said resilient means to permit engagement 7 8 of said detent portion with the opposite side of said sup- References Cited. in the file of this patent port, and when said leaf spring is released said resilient I v H UNITED STATES PATENTS means will maintain the detent portion firmly engaged v with the opposite side of said support to firmly support 864,995 Russell SePt- 3, 1907 said wiring device thereo 5 P 2,491,447 I Hall Dec. 13, 1949v 

